113 posts categorized "Ten on Tuesday"

22 October 2013

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Foods I Regularly Eat That Were Exotic (or Unheard Of) When I Was a Kid

Hm. The foods of my childhood were mostly limited, but there were flashes of the exotic. Artichokes, for one thing; thanks to my Aunt Cece, we were introduced to artichokes quite early and we all *loved* them! They were truly exotic, as in hard to find in good shape in NE Wisconsin at any time of year -- the grocery clerk always needing to ask what it was in order to properly ring it up.

With a bunch of German farmers and wanna-be-farmers in my not-too-distant ancestry, I would occasionally hear stories about farming... and the raising & butchering of livestock. The fact that every bit of a hog, for instance, was used in some way -- that nothing went to waste -- made a big impression on me. True to her upbringing, Grandma Blum would serve her precious sulze with other cold cuts for lunch; my dad always had a jar of pickled pigs' feet in the fridge.

While Grandma preferred cheddar and colby, Grandpa (and also his son, my dad) had a fondness for the stinky Limburger and sharp Brick cheese.

Grandma Koenig died when I was only 8, but I remember gigantic boiled dumplings with gravy at her table -- my mother never made them, but I've had them since from the hand of my Aunt Arlene. My mother had some influence, too; there were the memorable Camembert cheese and smoked oyster phases of my youth!

Now, I didn't *love* all of these foods, but I tried them all (and did actually like most) and they were definitely a part of my childhood -- I'm sure that each one helped me be a bit more adventurous as an adult.

1. Fresh vegetables. I'm serious. I think I grew up in the golden age of commercially canned vegetables. Thinking about it (esp. creamed corn) makes me want to hurl.

Fresh roasted broccoli & cauliflower.

2. Avocado. This was a very rare and special addition to a salad in my youth. For one thing, they were very high in calories & fat and that was a no-no. Not so now! I eat and enjoy avocadoes on a regular -- almost daily -- basis.

3. Salmon. My dad was a fisherman, so we had plenty of wild lake fish at the table but never salmon; he didn't care for it, my mother didn't like its lingering aroma after cooking. I don't care for the aroma, either, but I love to eat salmon!

4. Turkey burgers. Are you kidding? We had turkey at Thanksgiving -- whole, stuffed, roasted. Sandwiches & soup for a week after. Period.

Feeling nostalgic, or maybe it's that Thanksgiving is approaching, but all of a sudden, I've a hankering for a cold turkey breast sandwich on white bread, slathered with mayo and with a piece of iceberg lettuce!

5. Any lettuce or "salad" green that isn't iceberg lettuce.

6. Liver. Of course. I should clarify... BEEF liver was awful as prepared by my mom (everyone's mom); my dad would sometimes fry up chicken livers and they were great!

7. Quiche. The eggs of my childhood were made only to be boiled, deviled, scrambled, or fried!

8. Brown rice -- or any rice that wasn't preceded by "Minute" on the package!

Shrimp on the barbie -- also unheard of in my youth (though I do recall steamed lobster)

9. Sushi. I don't regularly consume sushi, but it was completely unheard of in my youth!

10. Paprika... for anything other than to pretty up deviled eggs. My spice cupboard is bulging these days, thanks in part to at least three or four different types of paprika -- Hungarian, California, sweet, sharp, etc.

15 October 2013

1. APPLES! (Hubby made a pie.) It was the second-to-last farmers market of the season on Saturday, so that's where I spent my morning. It was damp and chilly, with a sudden and unpredictable wind blowing through at times. Someone lifted my most precious hedgie, about which I am being very Zen and also Karma, baby.

2. I threw some ribs in the slow cooker.

3. And took a nap.

4. Maddy was home since Thursday, and Ali & Rod came over for a family dinner on Saturday. I roasted butternut squash (with rosemary) and Rusty steamed some market-fresh broccoli to go with the BBQ ribs! And pie.

5. My friend Ann came over on Sunday morning, setting up her spinning wheel at the south end of my porch to spin some silk while I took some photos for her.

She left me with a lovely little gift of handspun. It sure is pretty! A hat? Some little mitts?

6. I watched the football game.

7. Spent some time (a little bit) sorting/cleaning/tossing upstairs... even went up into the attic!

8. Dropped a load at the Goodwill drive-thru.

9. Gathered up & took photos of Zim-related knitting (see yesterday's post). I've since remembered a bulky knit hoodie to add to the "finishing" pile!

10. Caught up on some TV -- Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, Sons of Anarchy (finished S1), and knit!

10 September 2013

1. My own pillow and my own bed. It's not uncommon to pack my pillow when I go away -- sometimes even a nice hotel pillow is just too much -- or not enough, or too soft, or too hard (Princess & The Pea, anyone?) -- and not every place I stay has a pillow menu! I always make sure that my pillow is wearing a loud or colorful pillowcase so it doesn't blend in and is less likely to be left behind.

2. My kitchen -- knowing what I have and where everything is!

3. My coffee pot -- it goes with the above, but is a worthy line-item!

4. My... um... chair... area. There's my chair, the side table, the chest a little beyond that, and all the project bags and books on the floor around it (winter's on the way... this is insulation) -- needles, scissors, tools, some yarn -- all at-hand. The whole area is actually due for a massive clean up! (Soon.)

5. The bathroom! A creature of habit, I don't spend a lot of time fussing & primping, but I like to have my stuff just.so.

6. My shower! (6 is to 5 as 3 is to 2) Heh.

7. Mail! Granted, the mail isn't what it used to be -- actual cards and letters are rare -- but I still look forward to the daily delivery of the mail at home!

8. Our pets. Scamp, Roxie, Duncan and, now, Porter! We are well on our way to being Crazy Cat People!

9. The porches and pergola and the outdoor privacy we have at home.

10. And just the usual, the overall things that are familiar... the normal noises and bumps in the night that are unique to my home and to which I am accustomed. Even if they annoy me sometimes, at least I know what they are!

I couldn't find a clip with the intro... some scuffling, a bump or two, and a girl calling out: It's just the normal noises in here! One of my all-time favorites! And I love this song, too. That whole album -- Damn The Torpedoes. I'm pretty sure I still have that LP. And a turntable to play it on, too.

What do you miss most when you're away from home?

* * * * *

Wondering about Kate and how she's doing in Edinburgh? You can follow along on her blog, Artsy Abroad, and/or on Facebook (and/or on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram... look for the icons that interest you on the blog's sidebar).

06 August 2013

I'd just like to say that when I read the topic for today, I wanted to puke. That pretty much sums up how I feel about going on a job interview! I immediately closed the email and my first reaction was to just skip it altogether.

Then I accepted the challenge.

Maybe it's not a JOB interview; maybe it's another type of interview -- a newspaper story or magazine feature!

16 July 2013

Humid or dry, hot is hot. I have found, though, that 90F and humid here is a LOT different than 90F and humid in, say, Rio de Janeiro -- it's "hotter" here (my brother-in-law agrees)! It is humid there, of course; tropical and "moist" all the time. The sheets felt damp every night when I crawled into bed, and vertical file systems aren't used much because the papers simply wilt, but my skin never looked or felt better! In Rio, and probably most coastal areas, there's almost always some air movement, the air never gets quite as "thick" as here. Or as hot.

Let's find our cool...

1. Thanks to some big trees, I'm able to keep the house cool with a few window air conditioners and strategically placed fans. South- and west-facing windows are kept covered. Central air is always on the wish list (the window units can be noisy)!

2. Grilling out is a great way to keep the heat out of the kitchen.

3. So is eating out!

4. When I cook indoors/at home, I try to be efficient about it and make a quantity of something -- on Sunday it was Greek Meatballs. There was enough for dinner and a couple of lunches! (I made mine with goat instead of lamb because I have a convenient local source every Saturday at the farmer market -- delicious!)

5. Alongside the meatballs (both the Italian version, weekend before last, and the Greek last weekend), I made Bell Pepper Slaw. So easy! I used "broccoli slaw" for mine, and probably used fewer peppers but more tomatoes the first time -- and made it in the jar and a day ahead. We all agreed that the jar was not really necessary but sort of cool. The second time, I used even fewer peppers and no tomatoes -- because I didn't have any -- and served it immediately. It's that kind of recipe... and that time of year.

6. I'm not sweatin' the small stuff.

7. Staying hydrated is important! In addition to water, I've been drinking an Arnold Palmer or three everyday. I usually make mine with a lot of tea and just a bit of lemonade, but sometimes the other way around. Also, an ice cold beer -- oooh, I love it best in a frosty mug/glass -- is so refreshing on a hot summer day!

8. One of my favorite places to beat the heat is at the movies.

9. Dresses! I've been wearing dresses more often this summer -- easy, breezy.

10. Though I now own my first suit in nearly two decades, I'm not much of a swimmer, but the water is a great place to beat the heat! Lounging on a beach chair, under an umbrella, near enough to go wading, sipping on fresh in-the-coconut coconut water... Or something similar. :)

According to the forecast, tomorrow's going to be the hottest day this week, followed by stormy weather on Thursday & Friday, leaving a much nicer weekend in the wake. Yeah. I'll take it!

09 July 2013

Just the other day, Katie asked, "Did you get enough time alone, Mom?"

See, Rusty was recently in Japan and, overlapping by a few days, the girls were off on their first-ever road trip together -- and I stayed home alone!

O, Happy Day(s).

I love my family and I love to spend time with them, but I have absolutely, positively, no problem whatsoever in the whole entire world spending time alone. My family has always known this. When the kids were little, and especially during the time I didn't work outside the home, Rusty knew that the nicest thing he could do for me was to take the kids for an afternoon, a day, a couple of days, a long weekend... and leave me home. Alone.

So, what do I like to do?

1. Not cook. I never (hardly ever) cook when I'm home alone. My favorite "alone" food? Cold cereal -- for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks -- especially late-night snacks (because, when I'm home alone, the nights tend to go late). Though I've all but eliminated grains from my diet, there will always be room for cold cereal! Cheerios was always my favorite, but lately I've been eating (and loving) Rice Chex more... with chopped pecans and raisins or banana or fresh berries. Yum.

2. Clean out and organize stuff. Yarn, books, closets, cupboards. I like big chunks of uninterrupted time to spread out, make, and clean up the big mess that is always a part of this process.

3. Take the frequent breaks that are also part of the above-mentioned process.

4. Turn up the volume!

5. Shop. I shop well with others, but I sometimes like to do it alone.

6. Drive! (Usually with the volume UP!)

7. Watch old movies. Just as with music, my taste in movies is wide and varied... and not always to the liking of others.

8. Putz. What? It's a thing. There's just no other word for it. One of my very favorite things to do is "putz & putter." I have been known to do it all day long, often while wearing my PJs.

9. Visit the yarn/craft store. I love to see what's new and be inspired!

25 June 2013

I love that smile. I love that I haven't been seeing anything but that smile on her face. So happy.

Honestly, I haven't thought about much beyond June 15th but, well, now I guess I can!

10 More Things:

1. Have a great little visit with the visitors from Brazil (arriving tomorrow)!

2. Clean and clean out my workroom -- a serious paring down and purging -- in preparation for...

3. A remodeling project! Actually, it's more of a restoration project. We'll be installing three french doors in a wall where we knew there once were similar doors (probably three french doors). Originally from a house on our block, we purchased them a few months ago at the local antique mall -- the owner of which also lives on our block. That's keeping it local, folks! Heh. I can't wait.

The back porch has already been painted! Thanks Maddy!

4. As a result of the cleaning, purging and remodeling/restoration, I will likely be rearranging a good deal of our living area. Unless it has a specific and undeniable use -- kitchen, bathroom -- the rooms in our house are always in flux and subject to change. We don't just rearrange the furniture, we rearrange the rooms! We're in serious need right now, too, as some of of them seem more like glorified storage areas with comfortable seating.

9. Dye! I've some special-order dyeing to do, and some playing around with techniques and ideas that I'd like to do!

10. Relax. And knit. Preferably on the deck, and with a cool beverage at-hand. I finally sewed up some sachets last night -- one-and-a-half to go -- and then I plan to finish Romi's mystery shawl while figuring out what to do next... SO MANY CHOICES right now!

04 June 2013

I got this! While ice cream is a very infrequent indulgence these days, I have indulged and I definitely have favorites. I love different flavors of ice cream -- Moose Tracks, Coffee -- but if it's a "sundae" or ice cream with toppings (which, in my book, is a "sundae"), it's always the same. Easy peasy!

Good vanilla ice cream with...

1. Hot fudge.

2. Hot fudge.

3. Hot fudge.

4. Hot fudge.

5. Hot fudge.

6. Hot fudge.

7. Hot fudge.

8. Pecans.

9. Fresh whipped cream.

10. A cherry on top!

You may say I'm stuck in a rut. Maybe so... but I think it's a delicious rut!

21 May 2013

I've eaten at a few picnic tables in the past few years, but haven't planned an actual picnic in I don't know how long, so I'm skipping the official topic of today's Ten on Tuesday. I will share the first two things that popped into my head, though:

Wine

Corkscrew

Glasses never occurred to me until I read Kym's post, so my picnic will be the one where we pass the bottle. Heh.

How about a first-ever ToT follow-up, instead. The last Ten on Tuesday post in April was: 10 Things I'm Looking Forward To In May. Let's see how that's going.

1. Hair cut (more likely, trim) tomorrow! I will also be auditioning -- or at least discussing -- the hairstyle that I have in mind for the wedding.

A very important #1 that I was excited about and looking forward to, and I FORGOT! Happily, my girl Kate was able to squeeze me in after work a few days later. Sheesh. My hairstyle for the wedding was met with approval, and I've saved a couple similar/detailed photos to Evernote since then.

2. Dinner with Alison's future in-laws tomorrow night!

Dinner with the in-laws was FANTASTIC! We picked them up at their house (aka, wedding venue!) and I've been out there a couple more times... and will likely be a much more frequent visitor over the next few weeks! From the photo was taken, above, I'd be looking through the tent (reception); weather permitting, the ceremony will be held in a round-ish clearing just barely visible beyond and to the left of that darkest evergreen tree.

I really enjoyed the food expo -- and ran into the in-laws there, too! There were a lot of vendors and I even found authentic and local pao de queijo! The speaker schedule wasn't very tight, which was sort of exasperating, but because of that we caught a portion of a panel discussion with all of the day's speakers, led by Kyle Cherek of Wisconsin Foodie. It was very interesting and I could have listened all day but, of course, we didn't have all day! We heard Will's presentation about Growing Power, and one of Joel's two talks that day.

4. Visitors from Oregon, their daughter (a sometime guest at our house) graduating from Lawrence University this year and they'll be here over the Mother's Day weekend for her recital.

Visitors have come and gone. Our time together was brief -- they brought over a delightful meal of Greek take-away to share -- but they had a nice time exploring the area with their daughter.

5. Mother's Day!

Been there! (at the Green Bay Botanical Garden)

Done that!

6. Maddy's last day of school on the 17th!

She's home! Sort of. She left yesterday for a week of camping with friends. Next week she'll be gone for a week of orientation for her camp counselor job. And then she'll be working all summer... at camp!

The girls are talking about finally taking a summer road trip together... also involving camping... as it may never be easier than NOW. And, sadly, we are all used to high gas prices -- which have been "coming down" a bit, but are still hella lot more than they used to be. But you know that. They're talking about going to Mount Rushmore, too, and recreating the awesome photo I took of my sisters there in 1979.

7. The Master Gardeners' Annual Plant Sale on the 18th.

Ugh! I missed it... and the heirloom plant sale on the 11th, too. I have no plants!!

8. Hopefully, an overnighter to Milwaukee for an art opening, premiere of an animated music video (by my cousin's husband) featuring music from the Tritonics new single "Smoky Places" and after-party. Just because... it sounds like fun!

I found a great deal at The Pfister, a wonderful old hotel in downtown Milwaukee! We were able to walk almost everywhere -- to dinner at Rodizio Grill, a Brazilian Steakhouse, and to the Milwaukee Art Museum.

The highlight was the Smoky Places art opening/video premier at Dominion Gallery, and the after party at The Uptowner. Exhibiting artists included my cousin Rae and her husband Michael. Michael premiered the animated music video, below, with music from the Tritonics.

And Rae's shoes are so great!

We had so much fun. And even dancing! Home by midnight, we walked to the Milwaukee Art Museum after breakfast on Saturday.

That is one amazing place. The architecture -- including those moveable wings -- of the Quadracci Pavilion is simply breathtaking.

9. Memorial Day!

This weekend! My sister will be coming on Saturday and we'll be doing a work day on Sunday, planting Mom's window boxes, etc., sort of a belated/continuation of her Mother's Day gift.

10. My knitting goal for May will be to finish the two shawls that I'm working on for the wedding... and NOT start another baby sweater. Heh. I'm more than half-way on Mexican Wisconsin Wedding and made a good start on Frambuesa last night. Second try! There's errata, for one thing, and some wonkiness regarding stitch marker placement and repeats... I just move them around as needed and "read" my knitting -- as long as it reads correctly, I'm good. The markers are eventually removed. I already know that I'm going to LOVE this shawl!

I've finished the Wisconsin Wedding shawl! It awaits overdyeing and blocking... as soon as Frambuesa v.2 is finished. The casting on issue has been resolved, and knitting is happening -- the border is almost complete. It'll get done.

BONUS: 11. I've ramped up the dyeing a tiny bit in the last month or so, the impetus being some fun custom orders and projects! Oh, I miss it!! As things continue to improve and progress in other areas of life, I intend to be doing much more of that beginning in May.

Custom orders/projects continue... Have you seen Cara's Celestarium? It was so much fun working with her to make the color just what she wanted for this project, and then to watch the knitting progress! The shawl is amazing -- her knitting is always so beautiful -- you must read her notes and, seriously, she says that it's not difficult at all! It's just killing me that I can't wrap it around my shoulders and feel it!

14 May 2013

In no particular order, and with a couple of extra for good measure. Can you have too many TV mothers? They're all favorites for different reasons!

1. Olivia Walton: The Waltons. Well, for one thing, I always loved Miss Michael Learned's name, and I also loved her voice. She was the epitome of "calm," perfectly conveyed through the tone and timbre of her voice. I wanted to be a Walton.

2. Ann Romano: One Day at a Time. I could relate!! My mother was also a divorced, single mom (of five!), and Barbara & Julie were about my age.

07 May 2013

Now there's a blast from the knit-blogger past! Who knows these hands? When, where, who? Anyone?

1. Knitting keeps my hands busy. I cannot imagine idle hands. I put knitting aside in favor of counted cross-stitch samplers for a while in the late '80s and early '90s, finding that sort of project to be more portable and easier to segment, at the time, but I was always anxious to get back to knitting!

2. Knitting keeps me company. I learned to knit as a child and did a little knitting during my high school years, but it was when I moved to Oregon in the early '80s that I became a knitter. It wouldn't really be much of an exaggeration to say that it saved me! I was pretty lonely out there, and knitting was my BFF for a while! Come to think of it, I was knitting in high school for the same reason, though wasn't challenging myself then nearly as much as in Oregon (and neither was I as lonely).

3. Knitting keeps my brain busy. Well, knitting keeps my brain as busy as it needs to be on any given day/hour/minute! I always have a few projects in process, usually of various types and degrees of difficulty.

4. Knitting satisfies my need to be creative. I love that I can exercise my creativity in so many ways with knitting -- from choosing and/or arranging colors to making pattern modifications, and even dabbling in rudimentary design!

5. Knitting helps my social life. Oh, how I could have used a Stitch 'n Bitch in Oregon! Thankfully, knitting groups are not hard to find -- or form -- these days, and I'm happy to have many local options, and to have made some good friends. I love a group for the variety of people and personalities, which translates to a variety of interests and projects! And then there's blogging -- which I began doing because of knitting -- and have made friends all over the world because of it! I am very fortunate that I've even been able to meet and spend time with some of them.

6. Knitting is challenging! One of the beautiful things about knitting -- and probably one of the reasons why it doesn't get old -- is that the range of projects is staggering. And they just keep coming...

7. I love the process of knitting. I've made no secret of that! I have numerous projects at various stages in the process because it is precisely that -- The Process -- that interests me most. I just love to DO it.

8. Knitting is satisfying! It wouldn't be very motivating if I never finished anything, so I have become more careful is selecting projects (some, at least) that I know will be finished. I've found baby & kid things to be quick and satisfying morsels, though they also need to be carefully selected because there can be an enormous amount of (fiddlly) finishing involved!

9. I love the product of knitting. I knit mostly for myself, and I wear my knits! Shawls, scarves, cowls, and mitts are among the "satisfying" knits that I am likely to finish (usually because they require very little "finishing"), and I wear one or more of the above every single day in the winter months! At home, I'm likely to wrap up in a handknit blanket and wear me-made wool socks or slippers, as well! I live in a wool house!

10. Knitting relieves stress. A day without knitting is a very rare thing 'round here.

4. Visitors from Oregon, their daughter (a sometime guest at our house) graduating from Lawrence University this year and they'll be here over the Mother's Day weekend for her recital.

Mum and me!

5. Mother's Day!

6. Maddy's last day of school on the 17th!

7. The Master Gardeners' Annual Plant Sale on the 18th.

8. Hopefully, an overnighter to Milwaukee for an art opening, premiere of an animated music video (by my cousin's husband) featuring music from the Tritonics new single “Smoky Places,” and after-party. Just because... it sounds like fun!

The middle of the month is very busy!!

9. Memorial Day!

10. My knitting goal for May will be to finish the two shawls that I'm working on for the wedding... and NOT start another baby sweater. Heh. I'm more than half-way on Mexican Wisconsin Wedding and made a good start on Frambuesa last night. Second try! There's errata, for one thing, and some wonkiness regarding stitch marker placement and repeats... I just move them around as needed and "read" my knitting -- as long as it reads correctly, I'm good. The markers are eventually removed. I already know that I'm going to LOVE this shawl!

BONUS: 11. I've ramped up the dyeing a tiny bit in the last month or so, the impetus being some fun custom orders and projects! Oh, I miss it!! As things continue to improve and progress in other areas of life, I intend to be doing much more of that beginning in May.

7. Oconee - by Jamie Thomas. Interesting construction with very little "finishing" required, and it looks like it would knit up super fast.

8. Rhadamanthys - by Jennifer Dassau. Perfect for a process knitter, this is knit in one piece with no seaming or finishing required. It's knit entirely in garter stitch, which I also love. Why am I not knitting this right now?

15 January 2013

Two sleeps to Rio -- one in my own bed, one on an aeroplane -- and then I'll be sleeping pool-side, behind the two doors on the right!

The airline just called to tell me that it's time to check in online!

Of course I've known that English isn't spoken much in Brazil, but I realized yesterday that I've actually never been to a non-English speaking country before -- not even Mexico. That prompted me to make doubly sure that I have contact info and back-up contact info, and a Plan C!

I have LOTS to do! I continue to update my lists and reminders, striving to streamline everything, but even so I may start bouncing off the walls soon!

08 January 2013

1. Taking a cue from my sister Sharon, my #1 goal for 2013 is simply TO KEEP IT TOGETHER. I already know that it is going to be an epic, challenging year, full of ups and downs.

2. I will continue TO EXPLORE DIET & NUTRITION. I am gobsmacked at the results I've seen from the changes I made late last year -- from weight loss to the reduction/elimination of pesky physical ailments and problems. Also, the quick bounce-back following my holiday indulgence has been a pleasant surprise. Continuing on this path is a no-brainer for me.

3. I will expand my knowledge TO HELP OTHERS, particularly in terms of their needs, which may or may not be in complete alignment with my own. Everyone is different.

4. One thing that I need to work on for the improvement of my overall health is exercise/fitness, so I vow to RIDE MY BIKE MORE. Due to wedding bells, I will miss the Ride For Nature in Door County this year, but there are more and more bike events, if that's what I want -- I really just want to ride more -- it was fun riding my bike to Knit Night last summer. I found myself, out of the blue, wishing for spring the other day specifically so I could ride my bike!

5. I will also use my fitness center membership more, particularly in the areas of STRENGTH/POWER & YOGA. I believe they'll be opening/moving the yoga studio in a new-to-them historic, wonderful, and more convenient location, and I'll be all over that.

6. I WILL CLEAN OUT & SIMPLIFY. Again. Some more. Ongoing...

7. I will GO TO RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL! I wasn't expecting to see my sister and her family here during the holidays, and certainly wasn't expecting to leave to visit them in Brazil less than a week after their departure, but there you are and here I go. Come what may (and when).

8. With any luck, I will set foot on three continents in 2013, and CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN SCOTLAND. Truth be told, I'll be more than happy to celebrate New Year's or any other holiday -- or no holiday -- any time at all -- in Scotland. I just want to go again! Since Kate will be there in school next fall, it makes sense to shoot for then.

9. I will KNIT FINGERLESS GLOVES FOR BRIDESMAIDS & THE BRIDE, AND A WEDDING SHAWL FOR THE BRIDE. And I will not wait until the last minute. In fact, I think I'll go home and wind yarn today!!

10. I will SEE THE FIRST OF MY DAUGHTERS GET MARRIED! Ali's friend Kristin gave her the most adorable wedding-planner binder for Christmas, on the cover it said: Keep Calm and Marry Rod! Crazy, fun, exciting!

* * * * *

Ali and I returned to Al Immig's in Sheboygan last Wednesday to see how my mother's wedding dress turned out after cleaning. It turned out white as snow -- I don't think anyone was expecting that result! The little paint splotch came away without a trace, and there are only a few minor rips and tears to be repaired; the dress has stays in the bodice, which took on a life of their own and will definitely be replaced; the dress will be shortened just a bit. The tailor undid some of my mother's earlier sewing, resulting in "finding" extra fabric here and there, so the fit is much better and it's really not going to be altered all that much. We'll be going back at the end of March!

04 December 2012

I'm pressed and distracted this week, but I love this topic -- I'm looking to fluff up my holiday music selection and look forward to getting around to all the participating blogs.

I'm being particular this year, loving a well done classic but so very tired of so very many of them -- the same old song or the same old rendition by the same old artist. I think I just need something new! That said, there's old and new mixed in here, and quite a few that are on my wish/contemplation list!

2. PTXmas
- Pentatonix. I linked to a video the other day and downloaded all the songs shortly thereafter!

3. Home for Christmas
- Hall & Oates. I chose this CD as my "free gift" with a recent supply catalog order and I have to say that I was happily surprised!

4. Merry Christmas
- Johnny Mathis. This voice has always been a part of my life -- possibly this album, too! I actually have this vinyl.

5. The Bells of Dublin
- The Chieftains. I'm not even sure how this CD came to be at my house, but it's been a favorite -- and I think my kids will feel about The Chieftains and this CD the way I do about Johnny Mathis and Merry Christmas.

27 November 2012

Ten on Tuesday: (Only) 10 (of The Many, and In No Particular Order) Favorite Mitts/Mittens Patterns That I May or May Not Ever Knit, or Possibly Have Knit (even Twice or Thrice), or Dream of Someday Knitting

There are 60+ such patterns in my Ravelry Favorites, and I never really scope them out. I haven't even looked at my Pinterest boards.

1. Dimorphous Mittens (pictured above) by Miriam Felton. I gave this pair away as a gift. I must knit another someday!

10. That I may have found a swimming suit that I actually like... or at least don't loathe.

* * * * *

I was on a quick Sunday-Tuesday jaunt to Chicago with my eldest. We hit up the Art Institute on Sunday afternoon, did a little shopping on Monday, and met up with friends on Tuesday.

My favorite Chicago landmark since I was a kid, Marina City -- one of many iconic city buildings constructed with LEGOS on display outside the store at Water Tower Place!

We stayed at the beautiful Sofitel Chicago Water Tower (thanks to hotwire.com) and treated ourselves to cocktails at Le Bar last night before dinner. My drink yesterday -- Brazil's national cocktail -- was Caipirinha! We had tried to find cachaça last summer so we could make it ourselves at the going-away party for Annie & her family before they moved to Rio, but were unsuccessful here in NE Wisconsin! I imagine we could substitute another rum and probably be happy. Or search some more. Anyway, it was light and lime-y and delicious! Katie had a Monkey Gland. Yeah.

We picked up Maro, a family friend, in the Lincoln Park area on our way home, stopping in Schaumburg for lunch on the way. There, I finally connected with my old friend Julie, whom I haven't seen in close to 20 years! I'm certain that we'll connect again much sooner than that!! It was so great to see her. We dropped Maro off at her mother's, just a few blocks from home, so she could spend Thanksgiving with her family!

For me, it's back to work tomorrow, then running over to pick up Maddy; spending the holiday, which will be very low-key, here at home; back to work on Friday; and then the weekend. Husband should be home sometime in there, and I'm planning our big Thanksgiving celebration for early Sunday afternoon... before Maddy heads back to school!

Also catching up and catching my breath!

I'm thankful that I'm pretty good with logistics, don't mind driving, and that everyone is flexible!!

13 November 2012

Well, Carole has both insight and ideas, as does everyone else who participated in this week's Ten on Tuesday topic (scroll down to see links to other participants' posts); they are excellent posts and I don't have much more to add.

But, of course, I do have something to add!

I stopped at my credit union on the way home from work today and was greeted by a cart full of groceries in the lobby. They are having a "Stock The Shelves" food and fundraising drive to help support local food pantries. The really great thing about giving money for this drive is that the credit union not only matches it, but multiplies it by 3! $1 = $3; $100 = $300!

I also stopped at the grocery store. They have pre-made dummy grocery bags at the checkout lanes that can be easily grabbed and added to the total; the checker scans it and asks the donation amount. Every $50 buys a turkey dinner for a family of 4-6, and the store will add another dinner for every four that are donated. The meals are delivered to and distributed by local food pantries at both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I'm sure there are a million similar activities going on right now -- Scouts, churches, civic groups, radio stations, stores -- for food and toys and, of course, MONEY! Thing is, they aren't hard to find (I wasn't even looking) and they do everything they can to make it easy!

23 October 2012

The world might shift a bit next Wednesday if I make it through my first candy-free Halloween. I am highly motivated, having lost another 3 pounds last week, and even though a good candy bar is tempting... emphasis is on "good" and, well, Halloween just isn't special enough!

I was very surprised at the loss last week! Not that I did anything different, it's just that I'm waiting for a bump or to land on a plateau -- that's the way it's always been! This steady downward trajectory is kind of blowing my mind. I'm waiting for my body to say, "Whoa, it's been a fun ride, but we're just going to hold here for a bit a regroup!" We'll see.

So, ever since I was a kid, these have been my favorite things to find in my (or my siblings' or kids') Trick-or-Treat bags (though many of them were so much better back in the day... sort of disappointing in comparison).

1. Mounds

2. Almond Joy

3. Three Musketeers

4. Peanut Butter Cup

5. Milky Way

7. Snickers

8. Kit Kat

9. Smartees

10. Kisses

Did you used to spread out all the loot on the living room floor and trade with your sibs? Or beg your kids to share?

09 October 2012

1. Saturday is my unofficial weigh-in day. It's something I shouldn't actually be doing -- I can see and feel my progress in so many other ways -- but old habits die hard. At least I do it only once a week rather than daily. And did you hear a WOOHOO? As of last Saturday, -19.2 lbs! I wore my beautiful wedding ring all day on Sunday for the first time in YEARS, and it didn't feel like a tourniquet on my finger.

2. It was the coldest farmer market morning yet! It was windy, too, but thankfully mostly sunny and no rain; we've been extremely lucky in the precipitation department this year. The house felt like an inferno when I got home! I thought, MY.GOD, WHO TURNED UP THE HEAT SO HIGH? WHAT IS IT TURNED UP TO, ANYWAY? Haha, yeah, 66F... feels like an inferno after a windy 48F morning outside. It's possible that was our last market of the season.

3. While looking for an electrical adapter, I found a few boxes of old slides that I'd been resigned to having lost forever. They are slides of me, my sibs, and cousins from late '60s-early '70s, even a few through the late '80s, that my grandmother gave me some years ago. So happy to have found that treasure!!

4. I found the electrical adapter! You know, one of those 3-prong to 2- adapters that are indispensible to people who live in old houses. With it, I was able to plug in my flash in the location I desired...

5. ...and take pictures of yarn!

6. After processing those photos, I *finally* uploaded them to Make.Do so that, maybe, I could finally try and sell some -- sport- and lace-weight are currently listed, more to come!

7. I Skyped with my sister Annie in Brazil for the first time! I talked with Mack & Addy, too. Mack played a song on his recorder, and Addison read me a story (learning to read!!) and also sang a song in Portugese. We did Skype-y air kisses, and I can't wait to hug them again!!

8. Boy, did I sleep! A very early (for me) bedtime on Friday and a bit of a sleep-in on Sunday made for two nearly 10-hour sleeps in a row. I'm pretty sure I was fighting off a little something, and Saturday morning took more out of me than a normal market morning.

9. I knit (another FO soon!) and watched the football game with Mom on Sunday. It hasn't been a very fun year for Cheeseheads so far, and I hope we step it up soon. I've been having fun with my fantasy team, though my record there isn't very good, either.

10. On Sunday evening I was trying to print out some shipping labels and sent them to the networked printer in the other room, um, numerous times. Because, you know, if something doesn't print the first (or second or third) time, you just send it again and again! I finally emailed them to myself and printed them directly from that computer. Then I wanted to find a recipe online but my connection was broken. It turns out that my old router died -- not before a last gasp, when all those mailing labels I'd sent came forth. It was just past closing time for anyplace but a big box department store and I sure didn't want to break my streak and go to W... and couldn't remember if Target's electronics department went that deep. I took a drive over there, anyway. They do have routers but only wireless ones; it turns out that most of them work for wired connections, too, and the helpful clerk told me that I should go check my ports before plunking down my money. It turns out that old router was redundant (left in place mainly for convenience) and with just a little switching around I was back in business. SCORE!

25 September 2012

Not that I'm eating much pizza these days. It's never been the staple at our house that I know it must be at others'. We've eaten most of our pizzas watching football games at my mother's house over the past few years. There have been entire off-seasons without, and that first bite in fall is as good as anything!

So, with that, let me first say that it all begins at the bottom... and I'll have mine on thin crust, crispy on the edges, maybe even with some burned-y parts!

1. Sauce -- just a bit of good tomato sauce or even alfredo.

2. Cheese -- not too much.

3. Mushrooms.

4. Sausage.

5. Olives -- ripe and/or green.

6. Spinach.

7. Artichoke hearts.

8. Chicken.

9. Potatoes.

10. Wild rice.

There was a time when sausage and mushroom was the ONLY pizza for me!

I had potatoes on a gluten-free pizza with Margene in Salt Lake City about a year ago... and, well, you know I've never met a potato that I didn't like.

We went to Sven & Ole's on our last night in Grand Marais (this is skipping way ahead on the vacation travelogue) as per the recommendation of just about anyone who's ever been! We had the Shicken & Vild Rice Zah because I just had to see what having wild rice on a pizza was all about! And it was good.

So, here we are at the coffee shop on Sunday morning as we headed out. Rusty's got our coffee for the week, I have some tea for the road, and Ali snapped the photo. We didn't realize how well our outfits matched until then, and it made us laugh.

Our destination was the north shore of Lake Superior (which would be the south shore of the northeast part of Minnesota) -- specifically, Grand Marais, MN -- with stops planned (and unplanned) on the way there and back.

If you'd like to know more about our (pretty laid-back) adventures, or see a few of the 100+ photos (just on my phone) I took mostly of the water and sky, stay tuned!

04 September 2012

1. Back to school! Only one of mine this year (two next year!), and it wasn't the big production it's been in years past, but still exciting -- mostly because she's excited! There have been no second thoughts and it's all about progress and the future.

One of the things I've always loved most about "the internet" is my friendship with people of all ages. This year, I am so flippin' happy to see so many First Day of School photos from all my friends on Facebook. Whether it's the first day of Pre-K, middle school, or high school, everything and everyone is so happy, bright, fresh, new, and ready!

2. Cooler temperatures. That's how it's supposed to work, anyway. I love cooler temperatures at night, getting snuggly and cozy under the covers!

3. Apples. And so many other things at the farmers market. This is the bountiful season!

4. Wool. I actually had Portico wrapped around my shoulders at the market on Saturday morning. Luckily, I always bring a few knitted things because Ali asked for a shawl, too!

5. Color. It is certainly not going to be peak time for color, but I am looking forward to seeing some autumnal tones when we head north in a couple of weeks. (Two weeks!) Maybe I'll even be inspired to take some photos.

6. Are You Ready for Some Football? I may only have watched about 5# total in the entire pre-season, but I am definitely ready for the regular season to start! It looks like I'll be listening to the first game on the radio, heading home from Jefferson... and that's OK! Hopefully, it'll be very exciting -- to both keep me awake and make the time fly. The high school games have started, too; as the leaves fall, I'll see the field better and better... I love it when the Friday Night Lights come on!

7. Nesting. Forget "spring cleaning," I'm all about getting my nest in order for the Long Winter. This year, I have grand designs for taking stock, cleaning out, and organizing yarn.

8. Cooking. Sort of hand-in-hand with nesting, cooking is all about settling in and stocking up... even if I don't really stock up all that much. The changes I've made to my diet have made me excited about cooking again -- it's all about simplicity, right now, and experimenting with seasoning and flavors.

9. Not Sweating. It was one of the most brutally hot & humid summers we've had in a long time. I was reminded of early days in one of my first apartments -- upper level, no air conditioning -- hotter than freakin' hell. I'd just sit in front of the fan and let it blow; go to the movies, back-to-back matinees (who cared what was playing), just to cool off! Oh, and then there was that summer when Ali was a baby...

10. Vacation! It's a super-busy month with three days at Wisconsin Sheep & Wool, the annual Harvest Festival at the farmers market the weekend after that (a longer day than usual at the market), but the reward will be nearly a week of meandering on the north shore of Lake Superior. There'll be plenty of activity, but also lots of quiet and rest. And knitting.

Just in time for our latest little heat wave, I took delivery yesterday of about a half-bushel of tomatoes, leeks, onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs with Roasted Tomato Sauce in mind. Yes, friends, it's about that time of year! I'd originally intended to get them this weekend, but there were plenty of tomatoes ready right now! Unless I get up super early tomorrow and get this done while the kitchen is still cool, I'll be chopping and freezing for delayed roasting.

That photo was taken six years ago (!) for the ABC-Along; the farm is right on Hwy. 53 in northwestern Wisconsin toward my sister's house. I haven't been up there in a while, but hubby and I are planning a little road trip to the North Shore -- Duluth, Grand Marais, likely as far as Nipigon, ON, Canada. We thought of a bunch of possibilities -- all the way around the lake, or around another Great Lake, or to Toronto -- but I think we'll go up and explore some of the south, west, and north shore of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee.

Anyway, I think we'll go up and then double-back, but return home along a slightly different route -- via old stomping grounds, visiting cousins, and my sister's -- and maybe even see my nephew play some football (or wam the bench, depending on injuries and depth).

All suggestions for yarn, art, food and lodging around the western half of Lake Superior are certainly welcome!

Look who joined us at the farmers' market last weekend! Ozzie had a nice, cushy spot in there with the felted wool dryer balls.

14 August 2012

I tried. I really did. I grew up around The Golden Age of Television... and I HAVE LOVED, DO LOVE, and WILL CONTINUE TO LOVE television. It would be pure torture to have to limit this list to 10.

Every time I'd think of a show, I'd think of another... or two... or three!! It was a lot of fun, too, and I'm glad that I have this list.

It's not like I've seen every episode of any of these shows -- I may have only seen one -- but they all evoke a feeling, a memory, and, usually, a smile. I remember watching (fighting over) TV with my sisters and brother, and sometimes with my dad, but rarely with my mom... at least not when I was a kid. I am pretty sure she was busy. ;)

Also, there was that whole summer between 6th and 7th grade when we didn't even have a TV (and still)! Seems like it was the first day of summer vacation when smoke started coming out of the back and Mom & Dad didn't replace it. It was probably one of the best summers of my childhood!

ABC's Wide World of Sports

Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

All In The Family

American Bandstand

Baretta

Barney Miller

Batman

Ben Casey

Bewitched

Bonanza

Charlie's Angels

Dark Shadows

Dragnet

Family Affair

Flipper

Gilligan's Island

Good Times

Green Acres

Gunsmoke

Happy Days

Hawaii Five-O

Here Come The Brides

Hogan's Heroes

Hollywood Squares

I Dream of Jeannie

I Love Lucy

Ironside

Julia

Lassie

Laverne & Shirley

Leave It To Beaver

Let's Make A Deal

Little House On The Praire

M*A*S*H

Mannix

Marcus Welby, M.D.

Mary Tyler Moore

Maude

McHale's Navy

McMillan & Wife

Medical Center

Mister Ed

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom

My Favorite Martian

My Three Sons

One Day At A Time

Password

Perry Mason

Petticoat Junction

Police Woman

Rhoda

Rock Concert

Room 222

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Saturday Night Live

Soul Train

Star Trek

The $10,000 Pyramid

The Addams Family

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Williams Show

The Beatles

The Beverly Hillbillies

The Big Valley

The Bob Newhart Show

The Brady Bunch

The Carol Burnett Show

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

The Dick Cavett Show

The Dick Van Dyke Show

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Flintstones

The Honeymooners

The Jeffersons

The Jetsons

The Midnight Special

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mod Squad

The Monkees

The Munsters

The Phil Donahue Show

The Red Skelton Hour

The Rockford Files

The Six Million Dollar Man

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour

The Tonight Show

The Twilight Zone

The Waltons

This Is Your Life

Welcome Back, Kotter

Wonder Woman

*We may have had TV trays, and I may have a VAGUE memory of eating while watching TV; if it actually even happened once, it was definitely an isolated incident! I always thought they were cool, though.

24 July 2012

Manning a booth and being a vendor makes my perspective on our local market a little different this year! Most of the Great Things are the same, no matter what my view, as I also shop the market every week.

1. Local farmers. I love that I can buy from people that I "know." My farmers have faces and names, we have conversations and share smiles. I love that. Our immediate neighbors at the market are an extended family of farmers and they do a few markets in the area each week, taking turns at manning the different stalls; so far, I've discovered two of the young women are also knitters/crocheters!

2. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats -- most of them locally grown and many of them organically grown.

3. Fresh flowers, herbs, and plants. So much beautiful color! And last week, I kept catching big whiffs of basil in the air -- so wonderful!

4. Participation of local businesses and vendors. My community is fairly small and one of the largest Saturday farmer markets in the state is less than 10 miles away, so we do need more than just farmers to fill the spaces each week.

5. Egg rolls and spring rolls. Every week. There's always a line. They're always fresh and delicious. I believe "egg rolls" is the sole reason for some visits to the market.

6. Baked goods, kettle corn, mini donuts. There's an Amish bakery in attendance nearly every week with everything from cookies and pies to breads and pasta. Mmmm. The kettle corn is made fresh, right there; I've been buying the smaller bag and it lasts all week. So far, I've been able to resist the donuts, even when I catch a whiff now and then... thankfully, they haven't been there every week.

7. Coffee! Just as there are regulars at the shop, there are regulars at the market, too!

8. Crafters. They are interspersed throughout and add some variety. The bead and jewelry market are very well covered; there are some interesting decorative painters, woodworkers, some knitters/crocheters/sewists, some that defy description...

9. Music! It's different every week and I've enjoyed every single act. It was a two-piece polka band a couple of weeks ago and I just loved them! Totally laid-back, just doin' what they do... At one point, they were playing along and then I heard, "Well, that's all we know of that song..." and then they launched into another. So entertaining -- funny and fun to listen to. Music makes a huge difference at the market.

10. People! It's the thing I like best about being a vendor at the market. It's fun to see familiar faces, faces I haven't seen in a while, faces I haven't seen in a VERY long while, the same faces every week, different faces... it's always fun! I'm a people-watcher from way back and every week there's reason to smile. I've especially loved teasing out yarn lovers (and potential yarn lovers) in my community -- I've always known they were there!

17 July 2012

Well, today (the past few) is about as non-everyday as it gets, but that's probably the best time to focus on the everyday things... the little things.

1. Morning coffee. Dark roast. Rusty makes it every morning. He pre-warms the thermal carafe with hot water, then pours that water into our coffee mugs (and my travel mug on work days) to warm them up, too!

2. My "back yard." The weather's been awful lately, but I love to take my knitting out to the pergola on nice days. The wooded ravine is behind me, freshly painted garage and house in front of me, and things are growing all around me... it's lovely and peaceful.

3. Flowers. The irises by the back porch, the lavender at the back of the garage, the container tomato plants on the patio... chicory and queen anne's lace at the side of the road... the purchase bouquet on the kitchen table.

4. Stopping at the coffee shop every morning. I always say hello to Frankie on my way in. As I'm leaving, I always say, "Have a good day, Frankie!" and he says, "I always do! You know that. I always have fun when I'm down here." Sometimes I deliver his morning oatmeal or a coffee refill; I always leave with a smile.

5. My zippy car. It's not particularly sporty or anything, but it does have some zip. I sure do love some zip!

6. Knitting. Everyday.

7. Tivo. Often accompanies the everyday knitting. And I hardly ever miss cable... I'll admit, I'd love to check out Dallas, but guess what? I'll live. And someday it'll be available somehow... if I'm still interested.

8. Mail. I love getting the mail... I love getting mail, but I also love the ritual of getting and sorting the mail.

9. Air conditioning. Our window units and fans are working OT this summer!

I'm heading out shortly, part of the departure committee that will be delivering Ann, Brian, Mack & Addy to O'Hare as they begin a new chapter of their lives, living and working in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! All I can say is thank god for technology and the ability to stay in touch. It also helps to know that they'll be back to visit and that they (hopefully) won't be gone forever. Much as I'd like to and as great an opportunity as it would be, I'm not sure I'll be able to afford a trip down there, so I am truly happy about all the different ways we'll be able to keep in touch.